© Reuters / Brian Snyder
Standardized testing has become something of an obsession in the United States, but Florida's mandate is under heavy fire while the state attempts to force a disabled, dying boy to complete an exam he is simply incapable of doing.
Ethan Rediske, an 11-year-old Florida boy, is expected to pass away any day now. He was born with numerous ailments, including severe brain damage and cerebral palsy. He's also blind.
On top of these health issues, the
Orlando Sentinel reports that his lungs are constantly filled with fluid these days,
he's in a morphine coma and all he can do is utter a sound every once in a while.
Despite his current condition, Florida insisted that his mother Andrea provide even more evidence that her son is incapable of taking the standardized test that's adapted for disabled children and required by the state - as well as the US Department of Education.In a letter obtained by the
Washington Post, Andrea Rediske reached out to the school board and to a journalist at the
Sentinel hoping to spread the word about her son's situation.
"Apparently, my communication through [the teacher] that he was in hospice wasn't enough [for the school district]: they required a letter from the hospice company to say that he was dying," the letter reads. "Every day that she comes to visit, she is required to do paperwork to document his 'progress.' Seriously? Why is Ethan Rediske not meeting his 6th-grade hospital homebound curriculum requirements? BECAUSE HE IS IN A MORPHINE COMA. We expect him to go any day. He is tenaciously clinging to life.
"This madness has got to stop. Please help us."
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